Spiritual Uplift at Washington Park

Can natural beauty improve human
nature? Milwaukee’s Washington Park was designed and built on the
principle that it can. Originally named West Park, Washington Park,
along with Lake Park and River Park (now Riverside), were designed by
Frederick Law Olmsted, the renowned landscape architect who designed
and supervised the creation of New York’s Central Park.

Olmsted
believed planned parks would provide people from all stations of life
respite from the crowding, suffocation and industrial despondency of
urban America in the last half of the 19th century. He contended that
municipal open spaces with scenic landscapes and recreational
activities would promote both the physical and mental health of its
visitors and foster communication between social classes, thereby
improving society.

In
1891 the Milwaukee Park Commission allocated and purchased 124 acres on
the near west side of Milwaukee. They commissioned Olmsted, who at this
point in history was already the foremost landscape architect in the
country, and work on the site commenced in 1892. The park commissioner
followed Olmsted’s plan for open meadows, wooded areas
containing a variety of tree species, a seven-acre lake and an aquatic
garden that featured a four-level heated waterfall, a lily pond, exotic
fish, stone bridges and walking paths. Then
West Park went the way of many Olmsted commissions: rogue.

It was an
occurrence that Olmsted cursed until he died, but it was inevitable. Cities
would veer from Olmsted’s original design plan in response to the needs
of the community. In the end, West Park would accommodate eight donated
deer, an eagle and several bears (precursors to the Milwaukee Zoo), a
boathouse and landing that offered boat rentals, a band shell, sports
fields, a six-hole golf course, an ice-skating rink, toboggan slide,
horseshoe and tennis courts and a one-mile horse racing track complete
with grandstands.

West Park became Washington Park in 1900 to
reflect the importance of American history, a trend that was occurring
all over the United States. The park expanded to 132 acres until it was
entrusted to the Milwaukee County Park Commission in 1932. In 1968 the
park opened its Senior Center and, shortly after, the boathouse was
rehabilitated into a community center. A changing neighborhood and a
pinched county park system presented serious challenges to Washington
Park, but all was not lost.

Devoted citizens, businesses, neighborhood
groups and nonprofit organizations united to resurrect the park. In
partnership with the county, Neighborhoods United for Washington Park
(NUWP) secured a substantial donation from the Harley-Davidson
Foundation to restore the band shell. This September the
nonprofit group of volunteers will host its fifth-annual Washington
Bark Dog Day, a festival that donates its proceeds to making
improvements to the park. In 2007 the Urban Ecology Center chose
Washington Park for its satellite facility. Activities like
the Neighborhood Environmental Education Project and Urban Adventures
programs offer participants the opportunity to explore nature and
experience the “spiritual uplift” Olmsted had hoped for.

Poll

A Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission panel upheld the firing of former Milwaukee Police officer Christopher Manney for violating department rules last April when he encountered Dontre Hamilton before fatally shooting him. Do you agree with the commission’s decision?